Russia-Hannah+Boser-Julia+Magnus-Block2

= =  Picture Russia

** Land **
 * Rivers/Lakes:** Russia has many lakes and rivers. The Volga River is the longest and most important river, that connects Moscow to the Caspian Sea. The five Siberian Rivers are Ob’, Irtysh, Yenisey, Lena, which flow North and Amur, which flows East. Lake Baikal, located in southern Siberia, is 400 miles long, 40 miles wide, and I mile deep. It is the largest freshwater lake and provides 1/5 of the world’s freshwater.


 * Mountains:** Russia has multiple gorgeous mountain ranges. The Ural Mountains create the border between Eastern and Western Russia. The Caucasus Mountains are located in Southwest Russia between the Black and Caspian Sea. Mt. Elbrus is the highest point in Russia and is part of the Caucasus Mountains.



**Plateaus/Plains:** Russia’s largest plateau is the Central Siberian Plateau. The Russian Plain (North European Plain) is on the west side of Russia and has very fertile land. The West Siberian Plain is the largest area of flat land in Russia (one million square miles).

** Climate and Vegetation **
 * Tundra:** The Tundra climate region covers everything north of the Arctic Circle. 10% of Russia has a Tundra climate (vast treeless plain). The average anual temperature is below freezing. Very few plants survive in these harsh weather conditions. Those that do are mosses, lichens, algae, and dwarf shrubs.
 * Subarctic:** The Subarctic is the largest climate region in Russia. The Taiga Forest, which is about 2x the size of the United States, is located in this region. Snow covers the ground 120-250 days of the year. The world's coldest temperatures have been recorded here.

**Steppe:** This climate region is located between the Black and Caspian Seas. The people who live here experience dry summers and long, cold, dry winters. This region has chernozem soil which rich in organic matter. This soil allows many plants to grow in this are especially sunflowers, mint, and beans.


 * Humid Continental:** This region contains coniferous and deciduous froests. This area also has chernozem soil and produces sunflowers, sugar beats, and wheat. The Russian Plain is located in this region.

** Population and Culture ** **The Arts:** The picture above shows russian nesting dolls.

**Sports and Leisure:** Popular entertainment in Russia includes going to ballets, concerts, and the theater. Sports such as tennis, hockey, figure skating, and gymnastics are also popular.

**Population:** 142,500,482 **Density:**8.4 people per square mile **Distribution:** about 75% of people living in Russia live in western Russia. 25% of Russians live in Siberia.

**History/Government**
 * Early History:** In the 800's Slav communities were organized into city-states known as Kievan Rus. In the early 1200's fighting weakened Kievan Rus and Mongols invaded. Many slavs left after the Mongol invasions and settled along the Moskva River. One of the settlements grew into Moscow. In 1547 Ivan IV was crowned Russia's first czar.

**Revolution & Change:** //__Russian Revolution__-// The government introduced Russification, a policy that encouraged people to follow Eastern Orthodox Christianity and speak Russian. Some people refused and were harshly persecuted, Jews especially. Jews were blamed many of Russia's issues. The new policy led people to turn to socialism. In 1917 WWI caused more discontent. //__Soviet Era__-// In 1917 the Bolsheviks, who believed in communism, gained control. They removed Russia from WWI. They took complete control of everything, which eventually caused a Civil War. The Bolshevik's won in 1922, and founded the USSR (Union of Soviet Socialist Republics). //__Superpower__-// The Soviet Union sustained its status until after WWII. The U.S. and Soviet Union engaged in the Cold War for the next four decades. There were threats made of use of nuclear weapons. Although the weapons were made, they were just propoganda.

** Economy ** **Transportation and Communications:** Waterways and railroads are depende upon for the majority of Russia's transportation. The Trans-Siberian Railroad is the world's longest continuos railroad. Pipelines are used to transport Petroleum products, but construction and maintainance can be rough. Trains, buses, and subways are the main form of public transportation.

**Trade and Independence:** Russia's large sources of energy and fuels account for over 53% of its exports. In 1998 Russia joined the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC). Russia and the U.S. agrred on Russia's entry into the World Trade Organization (WTO) in 2006.

**Natural Resources:** Northern Russia is the world's leading producer of natural gas. Russia also has 16% of the world's coal reserves, which are mainly located in remote areas. Aluminum, Gemstones, and Platinum are other natural resources in Russia.

**Global Issues** Nuclear Waste: The Soviet Union set off over 600 nuclear explosions between 1949 and 1987. The radioactive materials from those explosions has effected the water, soil, and air quality all around Russia. **Water Quality:** Russia's lakes and rivers have been polluted by industrialization. Fertilizer runoff, sewage, and radioactive material have contributed to the poor water quality in Lake Baikal "The Pearl of Siberia". **Soil and Air Quality:** Toxic waste, petroleum leaks, fertilizers, pesticides, factories, amd vehicles have severely damaged the quality of Russia's soil and air.

** Sources: **  Images- "Google Images." Google. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Apr. 2013. @http://www.google.com/imghp?hl=en&tab=wi. Information- World Geography and Cultures textbook